THE CHINESE WAR.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 270, 22 May 1860, Page 4

THE CHINESE WAR.

A debate took place in the House of Commons upon some resolutions proposed by Sir De Lacy Evans, with regard to operations in China. ! ':?."' In the course of the debate Lord John Russell said it w6uld be injudicious to tiethe cbmriianding officers by any particular iristructioris when* the scene of operations was so far awfty, and especially so to order that' there should be? no march upon Pekin; but Lord Elgin, who was to proceed to Chinaj was at present in Paris, engaged in giving explanations to thfe French Government upon points which were still unsettled. Lord John then adverted to the-circumstances which led to the ascent of the Peiho, and asserted the right of* this country to have its conamerciai interests represented byaminijjter having constant access to Pekin.:.- .:. •■ : ■ .. - '' ■' "'■^--. ■ ' \

To this statement, Sir John Elphinstone objected that it was 'bald,' and expressed hjs regret that Lord John had noj stated broadly the nature of our relations with ;China. :

Disappointment with Lord John Russell's statement was also expressed j by^Mr. Bright^ who considered that when the country was liKely, to be involved in a" bloody! arid costly war, the Foreign; Secretary should be more explicit. He contended that the disasters in China were'attributable,1 not to the treachery of the Chinese but to the folly of the admiral and minister. Mr. Bruce, he thought, was gailiy of ;a great want of judgment," and the result was a disastrous failure, arid he ought not to have been continued in a place of such high responsibility.^ . - '.•; . • After Mr. Bright hadjcondemned our.policy in China as vile and vicious, Mr. S. Herbert expressed a hope that Lbrd Elgin wotild setmattersstralght. Sir. J< Pakington joined in disapproving the conduct of Mr. Bruce; and other members continued the discussion. Ultimately, a vote of i£850,000 for China was agreed to. -, ,'